Contract score holder



April 24, 1934. P. H. GOBIE CONTRACT SCORE HOLDER Original Filed June 28 n l n 'fill ril! lill.'

Patented Apr. Z4, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT YOFFICE Application June 28, 1932, Serial No. 619,786

Renewed September 13, 1933 8 Claims. (Cl. 281-44) 'I'his invention is a novel improvement in portable bridge score holders and the like, adapted to be readily disassembled and packed in a small compact casing for carrying from place to place and to be readily assembled when desired to be used; and the principal object of the invention is to provide a novel bridge score holder consisting of a stationary base having a vertically disposed turnable member carrying above the base a plate upon which the usual bridge score pad is secured, the plate being mounted on the turnable member at a convenient angle to the horizontal plane of the card table or other support whereby the plate carrying the score pad may be oscillated through anv angle of approximately 105 in either direction from its mid-position, spring means being provided for normally holding the turnable member and plate in midposition.

My novel bridge score holder is adapted to be placed at a corner of the card or other table with the plate carrying the score pad normally facing the diametrically opposite corner so that the score pad will be -constantly visible to all of the players, but when it is desired to enter a score on the score pad the player at either side of the holder may swing the plate into convenient position for writing thereupon and mark upon the score pad, and when the plate is released the plate will be returned by the spring means to its normal mid-position facing the diametrically opposite corner of the table.

`Some specific advantages in using my novel score holder in card games are as follows:-The score will be at all times visible to all players thereby eliminating the necessity of individual players keeping their own scores; also eliminating the necessity of individual players having to bend over or reach across the table to examine the score, if kept only by one of the players, in determining their bids; also eliminating entirely the common practice of players asking questions regarding the score, and the unethical conversations between partners regarding the score, particularly in cases where only a small bid is sufIicient to give the desired number of points necessary to win a particular game, and in cases where the partner of a bidder would be inclined to raise his partners bid to a point where it is doubtful thatrthe bid could be made, or where a large bid is unnecessary to consummate game. As the score holder plate returns to normal position, in plain View of all the players at the table, after the score has been entered, the score presents itself to criticism as to error by the score keeper immediately rather than at subsequent stages of the game.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates one practical embodiment thereof to enable others to adopt and use the same; and will summarize in the claims theV novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawing:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a card table with my novel bridge score holder located at one corner thereof, and showing the plate (in full lines) in its normal mid-position facing the diametrically opposite corner-of the table; and showing in dotted linesy the plate swung to both sides of its normal mid-position.

Fig. 2 isan enlarged vertical section through the holder on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, also showing in dotted lines the plate swung through an angle of substantially 90 to its full line position; also showing in dotted lines the clamp for securing the holder to the edge of the table.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4 showing the -arrangementof springs for maintaining the plate'in normal mid-position.

' Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4 4, Fig. 2. Y

Fig'. 5A is a top plan view of the base with the head of the rotatable member removed and showing in dotted lines the clamp for securing the holder to the edge of the table.

As shown, my novel bridge score holder preferably comprises a base 1 preferably of stamped sheet metal but may be made of any other desired material in any other desired manner, base 1 having its'lcwer end enlarged as at la and having its upper end contracted as at 1b to form a tubular housing for a turnable or swingable member hereinafter referred to. Preferably the lower end of the base 1a is open but the edges are inturned as at lo to form a supporting surface.

In the contracted tubular portion 1b of the base is a bearing sleeve 2 secured therein in any desired manner, the bore of the sleeve receiving the shaft 3. In the upper end of sleeve 2 is a recess 2a extending approximately 105 on each side of the mid-point. Shaft 3 extends entirely through the contracted portion 1b, and on shaft 3 above sleeve 2 is xed a cylindrical head 4 adapted to fit within the upper end of the contracted portion 1b and 'to seat upon the upper end of sleeve 2. Extending downwardly from the head 4 is a lug 4a (Figs. 2, 4

and 5) adapted to slide in the recess 2a of the sleeve and to limit the swinging movement of shaft 3 when the lug engages the ends of the recess. Preferably the upper end of the head 4 is enlarged as at 4b and cut at an angle of approximately 20o to 30 to the horizontal plane, and is provided with an undercut V-shaped groove 4c in its face as shown in Fig. 4, the groove narrowing towards the lower end of the face 4b. The groove 4c is adapted to receive the correspondingly shaped flanges 5a which are struck out from the metal of a plate 5 which forms the bridge score pad support.

Preferably the flanges 5a are formed by cutting slits in the plate 5 at opposite sides o f the center line and bending the metal between the splits downwardly to form the converging flanges 5a t0 suit the angularity of the V-shaped groove, the flanges also flaring downwardly to flt the undercut form of the V-shaped groove, whereby when the plate 5 is placed upon the face 4b and the flanges 5a entered between the side walls of the undercut V-shaped groove 4c and the plate 5, the anges 5a will be accordingly locked and held securely between the sides of the V.-shaped groove and will removably support the plate 5 for rotation with shaft 3. Plate 5 however may be readily disengaged frorn the plate 4b by inerely shifting plate 5 parallel with the plate 4b until the flanges 5a are disengaged from groove 4c.

The lower end of shaft 3 terminates within the enlarged lower epd ,le of the lease- Upon shaft 3 is a spider 7 having a central opening receiving the shaft, the spider 7 engaging the underside of base 1 adjacent the portion 1b. pider 'l is held in pleoe op Shaft 3 by .e Washer 8, and e pin 9 in shaft 3 immediately below Waher 8 holds the spider in position, and at the same time prevents the shaft from being `raised upwardly through the bearing sleeve 2. In order to prevent rotation of spider 7 within the base 1 depressions 1d (Figs. 3, 4, 5) are formed in the base 1 at opposite sides of the arms 7a, 7b of the spider, the depressions holding the Spider ip adjusted position in which position the arms "la, 7b melee equal epeles with the mid-position of the plate 5.

BelOW Dill 9 the Shaft .3 iS Tedled aS at 3@ and upon the reduced portion is a collar 10 having a diametrically disposed groove 19a in its lower face in which a pin 11 is passed, the pip ll also extendine through the reduced portion 3a of shaft 3 whereby the Coller l0' is looked ep the reduced portion for rotation with `shaft 3.

Coller 1 0 is provided with .a pair of lateral extensions 101), 10c disposed one above the other, and in the piene of the normal nud-position of the plate 5. Upon the outer end of the lower extension 10c is a serniecireularguide bar 12, the curvature of guide 412 heine Substantially eeeXiel with the Shaft 3, and from the upper eXtension 10b is a semi-eircular guide har 13 extending in the opposite direction from the guide bar 12. A spring 14 extends from arm '7a of spider 7 and has a loop 14a on its outer end which is slipped over the Semi-circular guide 13 and normally engages the function. of the erm 10b with the inner end of guide 13. A spring 15 similarly extends from arm 7b of the spider and has a loop 15a in its outer end which is slipped over the lsemi-circular guide l2, the loop is normally engaged with the junction of the arm 10c with the inner end of the guide 12.

In this manner the springs 14 and 15 act oppositely upon shaft 3 and tend to yieldably hold the shaft in its mid-position, but when the shaft is rotated in one direction the spring l5 or 14 will be stretched while the loop 14a or 15a of the spring 14 o1' 15 will merely slide around its related guide remaining inactive. As soon as the lshaft is released the stretched spring will restore -when one leg of L-shaped member 16 is extended through the slot le, and the leg of the other member 1'7 disposed under the edge of the table T, and the wing nut 19 tightened, the base 1 will be held securely down upon the table T. The use of the bolt 18 and wing nut 19 allows for variations in the thickness of the table T.

From the above description it will be seen that the plate 5 can be readily separated from the shaft 3 and the parts may be packed neatly in a suitable case (not shown) for carrying from place to place, and the parts readily assembled and attached to the card table when desired to use the holder.

The opposite acting springs 14 and 15 tend to hold the shaft 3 in its mid-position, in which the lug 4a of head 4 is disposed midway between the ends of the recess 2.a in bearing sleeve 2.

The holder should be mounted on one corner of the table T with the plate 5 lfacingthe diametrically opposite corner so that the score pad (not shown) carried by the plate 5 will be readily visible to all the four players at the table. However when it is necessary to add any scores the player at either side of the holder may swing the plate 5 around into writing position and after making the changes or additions in the score, and upon releasing the plate 5, the flexed spring will restore the shaft 3 and plate 5 into normal mid-position facing the opposite corner of the table.

While I have described the invention as being particularly applicable to bridge score holders I do notlimit my invention to such use, asobviously the invention may be utilized for holding pads and the like for various other specific uses.

I claimr.- f

1, A contract bridge score holder comprising a base; a score card holder swiveled upon the base; and ODDQSitely acting springs connected with the base and holder adapted to normally hold the holder in one position relative to the base but permitting it to be turned either to right or left, said means returning the holder automatically to normal position when released.

2. In a holder as set forth in claim 1, said card holder having converging flanges on its under side formed by slitting and bending the body of the holder, said flanges engaging a correspondingly shaped groove in the standard whereby the holder may be readily disengaged from the base.

3. A holder for the purpose described comprising a base, means for detachably attaching the base to a card table, a standard rotatably mounted on the base, a score card holder mounted on the standard oppositely acting guides mounted on the standard oppositely acting springs connected to the base and guides adapted to hold the card holder in one position relative to the base but permitting it to be turned either to right or left and returning it automatically to normal position when released.

4. In a holder as set forth in claim 3, said card holder having converging flanges on its under side formed by slitting and bending the body of the holder, said flanges engaging a correspondingly shaped groove in the standard whereby the holder may be readily disengaged from the base.

5. A bridge score holder, comprising a base having an open lower end and a reduced upper end; a standard rotatably journaled in the reduced upper end of the base; a score card holder mounted on the standard; a pair of oppositely extending guides mounted on the standard within the base; .and a pair of oppositely acting springs connected with the base and with the guides respectively for normally holding the standard in one position relative to the base While permitting it to be turned to right or left and returning it automatically to normal position when released.

6. In a holder as set forth in claim 5, said card holder having converging flanges ony its under side formed by slitting and bending the body of the holder, said flanges engaging a correspondingly shaped groove in the standard whereby the holder may be readily disengaged from the base.

7. In a holder as set forth in claim 5, a spider within the base around the standard having arms for holding the outer ends of the springs respectively, means on the standard for holding the spider in contact with the upper portion of the base, and depressions in the base at opposite sides of the arms for preventing rotation of the spider within the base.

8. In a holder as set forth in claim 5, said guides being arcuate, and said springs having loops on their ends slidably engaging the guides.

PHILIP H. GOBIE. 

